Building construction



H. E. STITT. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.191s.

Patented Oct. 24, 1922;.

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HARRY E. STI'IT, OF EA$T CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 3, 1918. Serial No. 2 i3,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. S'rrrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and

5 State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Building Constructions, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained, and the best mode in which 1' have 10 contemplated applying that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions. In modern building construction, particularly for factories, much progress has been made in standardizing the design of the frame. The latter is almost invariably fabricated of steel, and by keeping in stock the parts of which such frames are made, buildings of standardized type maybe much more quickly assembled and erected than where the parts have to be specially fabricated.

The object of the present invention is to provide more. generally interchangeable structural units than are at present in use in buildings of this type, that is units that may be utilized in buildings not only of any length, but of various widths. At the same time the number of parts or structural elements which it is'necessaryto keep in stock is correspondingly reduced, thus enabling 30 the builder to meet varying demands with a minimum investment in the way of stock. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of ,the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

, The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the i principle of the invention maybe used.

In said annexed drawing z- Fig. 1 is a transverse section, more or less diagrammatic in character, through a building embodying my present improvements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion of such building, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a portion of the buildingas shown in Fig. 1, more fully showing the details of construction.

My present improved building construction is composed of four essential and primary structural parts, viz, a column 1, a truss 2, a monitor frame 3, and bracing members 4t and 5, for use between columns, lengthwise of the building.

All of the columns are alike, in that they are detailed so as to connect to either end of the standard trusses presently to be described, being made of the same length, the only variation which may possibly be required being in the matter of strength, where a special load is to be imposed.

The trusses, which are in general of familiar construction, have their top chords sloping down in two directions from a midpoint thereon. Such trusses will be made up in different lengths, for example forty feet,

fifty feet and sixty feet long respectively, an adequate number of each length being carried in stock. Irrespective of their length, all such trusses will. have the same depth onall of their ends, sothat they may be interchangeably connected to the standard column previously described. In addition to thus hav ng their ends of uniform depth, all the trusses will have the slope of their top chords uniform, so that the only other difference between trusses of different lengths will bethat of height at midpoint and strength.

The monitor utilized in connection with the foregoing, is of the so-called valley type, being designed to set in the obtuse angle be tween terminally abutting trusses. Since the height of the ends of the latter is uniform, as well as the slope from such ends, it will be seen that a stock monitor frame may be utilized in combination with trusses,

whether the latter be of the same or different lengths.

The manner in which a building composed of standardized elements, as just described, may be assembled'in multiple, is well shown in Fig. l, where at the left I have illustrated two trusses 2 of the same length incombination with a standard monitor frame 3, and at the right such a monitor frame combined with trusses of different lengths, as indicated in dotted outline. As further shown in Fig. 2, the height of the columns being uniform, as well as the depth of the ends of the trusses, the bracing 4L, 5 employed between the columns longitudinally of the building, whatever its form, may be of standardized construction, since the columns will of course be uniformly spaced.

Fig. illustrates the manner in which the roof 6 over the exposed portion of the trusses, well as the roof '1" over the monitor 3, is supported therefrom, and at the same time shows the side wall 8, which incorporates the corresponding row of columns 1.

lit will be obvious that the building may be continued lengthwise indefinitely, while transversely it may consist simply of an as semblage of two standard trusses with monitor frame, or of as many more such trusses of varying widths and additional monitor frames as is necessary to give the requisite overall width. Furthermore, with a minimum number of standard fabricated trusses of the construction described, it is possible to secure a building, whether of one or more units, of almost any desired Width. Thus a combination of two fifty foot trusses will provide a building one hundred feet wide; while a forty and fifty foot truss will provide one ninety feet wide, and so on. Irrespective of the length of trusses utilized in any particular building, the standard monitor frames will interfit without alteration, and the same is true of the bracing longitudinally of the building. These desirable results follow from the provision of the trusses with uniform depth at ends and uniform slope of top chords up from such ends and towards the center or midpoints of the trusses.

It will be understood ofcourse that while my improved building construction has been described and shown as fabricated out of steel, it is in no sense limited to the use of any particularmatcrial, but the columns, trusses, and in fact all the various parts thereof, may be made out of wood, for example, if for any reason found desirable.

Moreover, while the advantages flowing from my improved construction are fully evident where the building is of such a width as to require two or more trusses placed end to end transv'ersely of such building, the use of interchangeable elements, and particularly of trusses of thecharacter described, in a building having initially the width of but a single truss, is highly advantageous, since it is possible to add additional trusses to such building on either side and correspondingly extend its width. This flexibility in my construction enables the builder to adapt the building to the needs of a growing enterprise by extending it notmerely longitudinally, but also laterally, wherever there is a demand for more space, without necessitating the relocation of the departments housed in the building.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made asregards the construction herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equi alent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and (listinctly claim as my invention 1. In a standard building construction, the combination with uniform interchangeable columns having supporting elements uniformly spaced on opposite sides of their upper ends, of stock truss frames compris ing straight bottom chords, inverted V- shaped top chords of constant angle, and interconnecting members, said truss frames being of uniform vertical end dimensions. but of varying span, a series of said columns equally spaced longitudinally at the side walls of the building and centrally thereof. the central columns being arranged in rows unequally spaced transversely, longitudinally extending connections between said central columns, said truss frames being parallelly arranged in longitudinal series with their ends resting upon said supporting elements, the frames of adjacent series being of identical cross-sectional outline and of optional span, and stock monitor frames of a single uniform construction including an inverted V-shaped top member and a plurality of vertical strut members, the lower ends of said strut members forming a transverse angle supplementary to the transverse angle formed by two abutting truss frames.

2. In a standard building construction, the combination with uniform interchangeable columns, having uniform supporting elements at their upper ends. of stock truss frames comprising straight bottom chords, inverted V-shaped top chords of constant angle, and interconnecting men'ibcrs, said truss frames being of uniform vertical end dimensions, a series of said columns equally spaced longitudinally at the side walls of the building and centrally thereof, the central columns being arranged in rows unequally spaced transversely, longitudinal series of said truss frames with their ends resting upon said supporting elements, a roof supported upon the outer inclined sections of said inverted V-shaped chords of: aligned truss frames and extending continuously inward and upward above the inner reversely inclined portions of said frames, and supports for aid inner portion of said roof.

3. In a standard building construction, the

combination with uniform interchangeable columns, having uniform supporting ele ments at their upper ends, of stock truss frames comprising straight bottom chords, inverted V-shaped top chords of constant angle, and interconnecting members, said truss frames being of uniform vertical end dimensions but of varying span, a series of said columns equally spaced loi'igitudinally at the side walls ofthe building and cenframes said monitor frames comprising an inverted V-shaped top member, a central and pairs of lateral vertical struts and tie bars connected to the base of said central strut, the lower terminals of said strutsforming a constant angle supplementary to the angle formed by the abutting trussframes, a roof supported upon said monitorframes, and supporting elements upon the outside members of said monitor frames for supporting the inner portions of the truss frame 5 roof sections.

Signed by me, this 28th day of June, 1918.

HARRY E. STITT. 

